South American leaders back Morales in plane row

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, right, and Bolivia's President Evo Morales acknowledge supporters during a welcome ceremony for presidents attending an extraordinary meeting in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday , July 4, 2013. Leaders of Uruguay, Ecuador, Surinam, Argentina and Venezuela are meeting in Bolivia Thursday in support of Morales, who said said Thursday that the rerouting of his plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency l
— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, right, and Bolivia's President Evo Morales acknowledge supporters during a welcome ceremony for presidents attending an extraordinary meeting in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday , July 4, 2013. Leaders of Uruguay, Ecuador, Surinam, Argentina and Venezuela are meeting in Bolivia Thursday in support of Morales, who said said Thursday that the rerouting of his plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency l
/ AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro reviews a honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro reviews a honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
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Ecuador's President Rafael Correa waves to reporters at Mariscal Sucre Airport prior to traveling to Bolivia for an extraordinary meeting concerning the rerouting of the Bolivian president's plane, in Tababela, Ecuador, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that situation lived by President Evo Morales is very serious and is traveling to Cochabamba to show his support for Morales who called the rerouting of his plane over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was aboard a — AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa waves to reporters at Mariscal Sucre Airport prior to traveling to Bolivia for an extraordinary meeting concerning the rerouting of the Bolivian president's plane, in Tababela, Ecuador, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that situation lived by President Evo Morales is very serious and is traveling to Cochabamba to show his support for Morales who called the rerouting of his plane over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was aboard a
/ AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa speaks upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)— AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa speaks upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
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Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, front left, reviews an honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, front left, reviews an honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
/ AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)— AP

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Maduro is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to show support for Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was rerouted in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
/ AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, center, reviews a honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)— AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, center, reviews a honor guard upon his arrival to the airport in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was on board. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
/ AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, center, waves to journalists upon his arrival to the airport accompanied by Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, right, and Bolivia's Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that Nat— AP

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, center, waves to journalists upon his arrival to the airport accompanied by Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, right, and Bolivia's Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Thursday, July 4, 2013. Correa said that the situation lived by Bolivian President Evo Morales is very serious and is in Cochabamba for an extraordinary meeting of South American leaders to discuss the rerouting of Morales' plane in Europe, over suspicions that Nat
/ AP

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia 
President Evo Morales warned on Thursday that he could close the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia as South America's leftist leaders rallied to support him after his presidential plane was rerouted amid suspicions that NSA leaker Edward Snowden was on board.

Morales again blamed Washington for pressuring European countries to refuse to allow his plane to fly through their airspace on Tuesday, forcing it to land in Vienna, Austria, in what he called a violation of international law. He had been returning from a summit in Russia during which he had suggested he would be willing to consider a request from Snowden for asylum.

"Being united will defeat American imperialism. We met with the leaders of my party and they asked us for several measures and if necessary, we will close the embassy of the United States," said Morales. "We do not need the embassy of the United States."

Morales spoke as the leaders of Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina and Uruguay joined him in Cochabamba, Bolivia for a special meeting to address the diplomatic row.

Latin American leaders were outraged by the incident, calling it a violation of national sovereignty and a slap in the face for a region that has suffered through humiliations by Europe and several U.S.-backed military coups.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he and the other leaders were offering "all of our support" to Morales following the rerouting of the plane, calling it an aggression against the Americas.

Morales has said that while the plane was parked in Vienna, the Spanish ambassador to Austria arrived with two embassy personnel and they asked to search the plane. He said he denied them permission.

"Who takes the decision to attack the president of a South American nation?" Maduro asked. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano "Rajoy has been abusive by trying to search Morales' plane in Spain. He has no right to breach international law."

Morales, long a fierce critic of U.S. policy toward Latin America, received a hero's welcome in an airport in Bolivian capital of La Paz late Wednesday night. His return followed the dramatic, unplanned 14-hour layover in Vienna.

Bolivia's government said France, Spain and Portugal refused to let the president's plane through their airspace because of suspicions that Snowden was with Morales.

Ahead of the meeting, Morales had said that his ordeal was part of a plot by the U.S. to intimidate him and other Latin American leaders.

He urged European nations to "free themselves" from the United States. "The United States is using its agent (Snowden) and the president (of Bolivia) to intimidate the whole region," he said.

France sent an apology to the Bolivian government. But Morales said "apologies are not enough because the stance is that international treaties must be respected."

Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said his country did not bar Morales from landing in its territory.

Amid the tensions, the U.S. embassy in La Paz cancelled Independence Day celebrations scheduled for Thursday. In the eastern city of Santa Cruz, Bolivian government sympathizers painted protest slogans on the doors of the American consulate.